Like a Phoenix from the Ashes
by wallACEwho
Summary: After the Dalek invasion UNIT is left in tatters. One man is charged with rebuilding it. Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart. The Brigadier


Authors Note: Once again I own nothing. This all belongs to either the BBC or Scout Girl.

This really won't make sense unless you have read the 'The Valient Child who shall die is Battle so very soon' by Scout Girl . To find it search for Phantomreviewer on Live Journal

Happy Reading

**Like a Phoenix from the Ashes**

Sir Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart walked slowly over the wreckage of the Valiant cursing himself for not being there. Something about "the captain going down with the ship" came to mind. He had been UNIT's commanding officer for longer than anyone and had been associated with it even after his retirement, and where had he been during the Dalek invasion.

In a secure bunker with members of the Government.

He cursed himself again.

"She lived up to her name didn't she Sir?"

Sir Alistair looked up to see a fresh faced young Private standing behind him

"Pardon" the older man said

"The Valiant, I hear she went down fighting, took as many of those bloody Daleks with her as she possibly could"

"What's your name Private?"

"Private Oscar Thompson, Sir"

"Thompson what do you know about the man who was commanding the Valiant"

"I believe it was Colonel Mace, but I don't that much about him"

"Well remember what I'm going to tell you Private"

* * *

Gesturing to the young man to sit down, Sir Alistair dragged up a large stone and sat down heavily.

"Colonel Mace was the bravest man I ever had the fortune to meet and to work with.

He came here during the Battle of the Valiant knowing that he was not going to survive. However he did it anyway because he knew that someone had to stand up for what is right and what is good. He knew where the line had to be drawn and he stood his ground till the very end."

Sir Alistair paused for a moment before continuing. "Everybody on this ship did their duty to the bitter end, but none more so than Captain Marion Price. She was given an order to communicate with Torchwood at any cost to make sure that they knew that they were in charge. AND BY GOD SHE DID"

The old man stopped for a second in order to calm down.

"They dragged her corpse out of the wreckage yesterday and you knew where they found her. Over the communication desk. She had the chance to spend her last moments with the man she loved but instead she did her duty"

As they sat there Sir Alistair told the private the story of every single person who had died during the Battle of the Valiant.

"Promise me something Thompson" the old soldier said eventually

"Yes Sir"

"Promised me that you will remember what I've told you and that from now on you'll do your best to honour these peoples memories by being the best person you can be"

"I promise Sir" the younger man said feeling a lump come into his throat.

Sir Alistair noticed that the Private was clutching an envelope.

"What's that" he asked pointedly.

"Oh" Thompson said "I was sent to give you this"

Sir Alistair took the envelope and pushed open the flap. Inside was a sheaf of papers bearing the UN seal. Sir Alistair quickly flicked through them to discover their meaning.

_Sir Alistair _

_In the aftermath of the Dalek invasion you are hereby requested to reform the Unified Intelligence Taskforce to better handle the now recognised alien presence. _

_Upon the reformation of the taskforce you shall be charged with the position of overall head of the Taskforce reporting straight to the Commander- General. _

And at the bottom was the Secretary-Generals signature. Sir Alistair quickly shoved the papers back into the envelope. Then standing up he turned to the Private.

"Come on", he said beginning to walk away

"Where are we going sir" Thompson asked

"We have some work to do"

* * *

The next week or so was spent finding the remaining UNIT operatives and persuading them to come back. This was not as it would seem as certain members had been quiet happy to have the chance to retire. Sir Alistair recalled one memorable occasion when he had come across one particularly petulant soldier who had been one of the few to escape the Valiant.

"Why should I come back? I barely escaped last time"

"It's your duty man" Sir Alistair had yelled.

"Stuff duty" the man had replied "you weren't there were you"

Finally Sir Alistair had snapped storming out of the house with only a single closing remark.

"What do you think your friends who died would think of your behaviour now?"

The man had appeared at the briefing the next week. Sir Alistair also spent time meeting and recruiting new people to fill the gaps left by not only the Valiant but also by the attacks around the world.

This not only included military personal but also medical and logistical personal who had to be recruited from the outside. Most of the UNIT bases were also rebuilt having been destroyed by the Daleks.

Of course he wasn't alone. He still had Doctor Jones and several of his colleagues from before the Dalek invasion. Not only that but out of the wood work came people who he had not been in contact with for years. Sarah-Jane Smith and Jo Jones (nee Grant), Liz Shaw and John Benton all willing to help. Mike Yates had made an appearance offering his help if it was needed and even Torchwood had offered their assistance.

Over the months that followed Sir Alistair slowly rebuilt UNIT from the ground up.

It was a long process involving a lot of meetings and tedious paperwork but he worked through it knowing that it was all worth it in the long run.

* * *

Finally the big day arrived with the whole of the British UNIT contingent assembled outside their new headquarters. The speech would also be broadcast to the various bases across the world via web cam allowing the whole world to hear what Sir Alistair had to say.

Sir Alistair looked around and spotted his friends at the back smiling at him. Even Jack Harkness was there though he couldn't see any of the other Torchwood spooks.

Feeling nervous for the first time in years he walked up to the microphone

"My name as many of you know is Sir Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart. A long time I was charged heading up this organization at its beginning. I am proud to say that then we were a strong and proud group who never once failed to do our duty. I am also proud to say that in all the years I have been involved with UNIT that has never changed. The personnel may change, the threats may change, but the sprit of UNIT never did. We have always strived to do our best to protect humanity from the threats that they were unaware of. However that has all changed. Several months ago the existence of extra-terrestrial life that we have been working so hard to keep hidden was made know to the public during the Dalek invasion. That means that we too will have to change. No more can we hide in the shadows and behind our cover as a counter-terrorism unit. We must become the first barrier between the people of the Earth and those who would wish to do us harm".

Sir Alistair paused briefly before he continued his speech taking the opportunity to look around the assembled crowd and see their expressions. "However" he continued

"this event cannot pass without us paying a tribute to our fallen comrades, not only those that fell during the Dalek invasion but also those who have fell during all the years UNIT has been in operation. We need to remember them and remember that they made the ultimate sacrifice in order to protect this planet. To that end I have authorized this to be built."

He gestured towards a covered shape in the corner of the courtyard. Several uniformed soldiers pulled the drape off to reveal a large stone obelisk covered all over with names.

"This memorial is in the memory to all UNIT operatives who have died. Over time I am sure that it will be inscribed on again. Let it serve as a reminder of all that people have done in our name and all that we hope to accomplish."

To a round of applause Sir Alistair walked away from the podium and towards the obelisk. Halfway there he met Harkness

"Captain, thank you for coming"

"My pleasure Sir Alistair, I just wanted you to know that if you need us Torchwood is always willing to assist"

"Thank you Jack"

"Goodbye Alistair" and with that Jack walked away his coat billowing in the breeze.

Looking at the memorial Sir Alistair pick out two names carved side by side.

_Colonel Alexander Gerald Mace_ and _Captain Marion Price_.

Sir Alistair had never been a great believer in any sort of afterlife but he hoped with all his heart that wherever Gerald and Marion were they were together.

Then looking back at the assembled throng he allowed himself a small smile.

Like a Phoenix from the ashes UNIT had risen from the ashes.

"Thank you everyone" he said to the memorial before walking away and onto the future.

* * *

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